Improvement in settees



WILLIAM F. SPENCER, OF RICHMOND,- INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SETTEEIS. y

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l62,707, dated April27, 1875; application filed January 19, 1875.

To all whom it may concern: Y,

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. SPENcER, of Richmond, in the county ofWayne and State ot' Indiana, have invented certain Improvements inSettees, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the 'accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front view of aseries of the sectional settees connected together so asto form acontinuous seat, with one section turned at right angles to the others.Fig. 2 is a plan view, the full lines of which show the settees arrangedin the arc of a circle or curved line, and the dotted lines show onearranged at right angles and one turned around so as to face theadjacent section, without in either case becoming disconnected. Fig. 3is a rear view of two of the sections connected together for conveniencein handling; and Fig. ais a detached view, showing the device by meansof which the sections are connected or hihged together in front.

My inventionrelates to settees or seating for schools, halls, theaters,lecture-rooms, Sac.; andthe invention consists in making such seats orsettees in sections so as to form a continuous seat when arranged in astraight line, and in hinging or pivoting these sections together at ornear the forward edges or corners of the seats, so that they may befreely adjusted or arranged to assume any desired continuous curve or beset at any desired angle with relation to each other, without becomingdisconnected. It also consists in a new and improved combination ofdevices, whereby the sections are readily connected the one with theother, and kept from coming apart, without interfering with theirarrangement with relation to each other. And further it consists in anewand improved combination of devices whereby the sections may be unitedand held with 'sufficient rigidity to permit of a number of sectionsbeing moved or conveniently handled at once, all as hereinafter morefully set forth.

Referring to the parts by letters, A A A A represent sectional setteesor seat-s. These seats lnay be made of any approved form, and of anysuitable material, but I prefer to have them without arms, -because whenso made they iit closely together, both as regards the backs and seats,and form a continuous seat every portion of which may be utilized, itbeing immaterial whether the occupant sits entirely on one or partly ontwo ot' the sections, thereby permitting each individual of an audienceto adjust his position with comfort to himself and hisneighbor. EachsectionA is provided on one side with a plate, B, pivoted at or near theforward corner or edge of the seat, and to the under side of the same,and also on its other forward corner with a button or pivot-bolt, C, thehead of which projects slightly downward. These pivoted plates andbuttons have the same relative position on each of the sections, so thatwhen two sections are brought together the plate on one will be adjacentto the button or pivotbolt on the other. The plates B have a slot, b,one end of which is made circular, and of sufficient size to permit ofthe button or head of the pivot-bolt C on the adjacent section passingeasily through it. The other portion ofthe slot is made smaller, and ofelongated shape, so that after the head of the bolt is passed throughthe enlarged portion, the stem or shaft of the bolt will slide along thenarrow part ofthe slot, leaving the head outside. In this way thesections are united or hinged together, and as the plates B are pivotedand the bolts C may freely turn in the slots, it will be obvious thatthe sections may be arranged close together, or in the form of a curve,or at any desired angle with relation to each other, without becomingdisconnected, and as the pivot-al pointis at or near the adjacent frontcorners of the seats, the front line is always maintained intact,whether the sections are arranged in straight or curved lines. drepresents hooks, and e eyes, secured, respectively, one on each sideofthe back of each section A, for the purpose of connecting themtogether in rear when it is desired to move the settees from place toplace, the hook-and-eye connection operating in combination with theplates B and bolts C to render a series of the sections sufficientlyrigid to be conveniently handled or'moved together. Any other suitabledevice may, however, be used instead of the hook-and-eye connection,such fastening devices not being themselves novel When sep-- aratelyconsidered, and I contemplate conneeting them in rear by means of rubberor like fastening, which will have a tendency to bring the series ofsections into a straight line when relieved of the Weight of the personssitting therein.

I am aware that chairs have been united together by means of couplingssuch as are shown and described in Letters Patent No. 123,131, datedJanuary 30, 1872, and by other devices, and I do not, therefore, wish tobe understood as claiming broadly such device;

What I claim is- 1. A settee made in sections A A, so as to form acontinuous seat when placed in a straight line, the sect-ions beingpivoted or hinged together at or near their forward edges, only so thatthey may be freely adjusted to assume any desired continuous curve, orbe set at any desired angle with relation to each other, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

2. The pivoted plates B, having slots b and the buttons or pivot-bolts Cattached to the settee sections A A, at or near the front edge of theseat-frames, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set mysignature.

WILLIAM F. SPENCER.

Witnesses:

D. G. STUART, P. HANNAY.

